The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-11-11

pumpkin that weighed 1853 pounds.
On another table were some pomegran-
ates, the first ever seen by %. Next
them were prunes ofsuch size and color
that one felt his fingers itch to get
hold Of them, but the card said "hands
Of" Here also were specimens Of the
minerals Of which the San Vegas VAL
ley and mountains adjacent boast.
Altogether 1t was . fine exhibit, and
worth going long way to see, one
that will rebound to the advantage Of
California, and that particular part
around Los Angeles.
The general urbanity and whole
heartedness Of those In charge Was not
the least, by any means, of the pleasure
of going to see what the comrades from
the land Of lemon and the orange had
to show.
IfCy. Simpson had been among them
their company would have been COM
plete.
The hall was beautifully decorated
with Grand Army flags and notices.
In talking with them about the
chance for poor man to get start
there, they admitted that land was
pretty high any where near any of the
towns, (from $50 to SEQ dollars per acre)
said it would be three years at least
before one could realize much. from. fruit
or vines planted, and that when one
had all these things, that the cost Of
transportation was likely to be great
draw back to there being much profit.
So it would seem that one to 60 to that
part Of California, at least would need
to have some money to begin with and
some to live on for at least th rec years.
The boys represented the climate as
nearly all one could desire, but then
you cannot live on climate. From
all that we could hear It is q very
desirable place to live If one has the
means Of support, and certainly there
are no more kindly hospitable people
any where than those we saw from
the Golden State.
Thursday was still misty and rainy.
The boys have been going home since
Tuesday night, they are getting
preceptibly less. Attended the session
Of the encampment and we had to take
an upper seat, that is in the gallery
where we could ''look down" on the
other fellows, it was very much;like
the session of a post. they jumped and
called "Comma nder" just the same
as they do in their ordinary meetings.
General Fairchild's is large fine look
ing man, large fine head, with
q kindly face and one empty
sleeve hangs at his side as a continual
reminder that he belongs to the class
Of men noted, according to the presi-
dent, for perjury and mendacity. Cor.
poral Tennes who left both legs in
the Wilderness was there and 30 were
many others who had given a leg or
an arm for their country. We never
saw in any gathering Of soldiers, so
many empty sleeves aud legs a. there
were in st. Louis. It is q shame and
Disgrace for the head Of any nation to
use such language about its defenders.
No nation but ours would allow such q
thing, but I couldn't expect anything
better of the representative of a party
who during the war called them
"dogs" and "hirelings." Again we
were reminded that they were old, we
counted. 81 heads that were entirely
bare on top.
Great praise is due st. Louis for the
cordial manner in which they enter
tanned everybody that came there.
Thursday night we took the train
for home. glad that we had had the
opportunity to see so many of the
'boys" once more, and yet we were
saddened that we had looked on many
of them for the last time. Feeling also
that the bond of union which binds
these men together was drawn closer
by such thoughts and associations. Our
way home took Us through a goodly
portion of Illinois and Missouri. While
we do not rejoice that others are no
better off than we ARE in Kansas, we
should conclude that there was some
thing wrong if are own state was the
only one where poor crops were the
rule. Neither of the states mentioned
Is any better off than our own, indeed
not as well AZ we looked at it. There
were fields of corn that a'hundred acres
would not make bushel. But in some
fields the corn was excellent.
We arrived safely home in due time
glad to be back in sunny Kansas once
more.
Hoping what we have written may
add pleasure and profit to those who
read it we say goodbye.
L. B. PEARSON.
Salem Nov. 1867.
SWINE PLAGUE.